A Letter From Kaitlyn Joy

Hello dear friend,

It has been many months since the last time I wrote to you. God has brought me through some very large life changes and through a season of busyness. Where do I begin and how do I express all that I have learned through the last month of struggle? God has been purging my heart from this world and its ways of earthly thinking. He has continually reminded me that His plan is better. And His ways are higher than I can ever understand. Although we endure earthly pain for various reasons, we know that it is not near the suffering Jesus endured for us, so that we might become children of God.

This post may be a bit all over the place because I truly have numerous thoughts swarming my mind today. But I pray in Jesus' name that it will encourage at least one person. I am only an instrument through which I pray God plays through to preach His wonderful name. Just take a moment to silent your soul today. Press play on this worship song, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBEyUsB7olI. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and remember who your God is. Surrender. What is greater than being in the presence of God, the KING of the universe? Absolutely nothing. No amount of money, popularity, praise, admiration, relationships, stuff, or anything is greater than the KING of KINGS and LORD of LORDS. Take another moment to watch this video. I promise it will be worth every minute. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeKgfUGtcI0&t=73s.

Do you see how awesome our God is? Do you see how faithful, holy, and absolutely indescribable our GOD IS? How do we stand before His presence? Why do we fear? Why do we worry about choices in our life which are completely up to God? Why do we worry about tomorrow?

I don't want to hear your excuses or your doubts, I want you to know God. For when you know God your doubts will vanish. When you know just how worthy He is of every ounce of you, those things fall to the ground like dirty rags. You were made to know Christ! You were not made to do small things that vanish. You were made to know GOD. You were made to make a kingdom difference! Our very being cries out to know, love, and be with Him for all eternity.

Romans 8:32 "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

So this is my question to you; What are you holding onto that belongs to the Lord? What insecurities have you let linger in your mind? What doubtful decisions have you let worry you sick until you just don't even know where to turn next? What political issue have you stressed over? What pride? What attitude? What selfishness? I want to remind you of this, God has power over all of those "what if" questions. God has authority over the lies satan has whispered to you. God has authority over those sins you don't want to tell anyone about. God has authority over your attitude. Because of the blood of Jesus, you have the authority to speak His name over any stronghold in your life.

Romans 8:37 says," Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

Y'all, we have drifted so far from righteousness and holiness. It's almost like we've given up on the idea of completely surrendering our life to God. We only give Him the little crumbs of our life that we half-heartedly drop at His feet.

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” -C.S. Lewis.

Once you are saved by the glorious grace of Christ you are no longer a child of darkness. You are a child of LIGHT! Walk in that light. Many Christians brush off our error as we wander through this world half-heartedly dabbling in fear, and sin, and bad character. Little do we realize satan is grinning as we waste our lives away.

"We are too apt to forget that temptation to sin will rarely present itself to us in its true colors, saying, 'I am your deadly enemy and I want to ruin you forever in hell.' Oh, no! Sin comes to us, like Judas, with a kiss, and Joab, with an outstretched hand and flattering words. The forbidden fruit seemed good and desirable to Eve, yet it cast her out of Eden...Sin rarely seems sin at its first beginnings." -Holiness by J.C. Ryle

Our "small" sins may seem unimportant to our narrow-minded hearts, but as they stand before a holy God they become a vast sea of waste before our eyes.

Galatians 6:7-9 "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

My dear friend, I am not saying any of this out of judgment. For I too am a sinner saved by grace and daily going through the process of sanctification. But, I want to daily remind you and me of the struggle we are in. I do not want our hearts to grow hard towards the sanctification of our souls. For if we are not careful and alert, we will miss out on opportunities to bring glory to God. We will slowly let satan lead us down the shiny path of destruction that leads us to hell.

Hebrews 3:13 "Exhort one another daily...lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

When you and I begin to understand the depth of God's love for us, it helps us to resist this world.

2 Corinthians 5:10 "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

2 Corinthians 5:14-17 "For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

As each minute, day, month, and year passes, I exhort you friend not to fear and not to think little of your sin. For you were bought with a price. You were bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Do not forget whose you are. Do not forget you are in a battle for your soul. Do not forget the grace of God for every time you mess up no matter how bad it may seem. Do not forget the love of God. He wants you because you are His. He is jealous for your heart dear one.

2 Corinthians 5:21 "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

As many of us approach our last year of high school, I encourage you to bring your life before God with lifted hands. Each heartbeat in your chest is a reminder of the purpose of each second of your life. Live well.

"Jesus did not walk on water to show off His power. He walked on water to show us not to fear."

I pray that this encourages your soul and reminds you of the truth. God only has good plans for you!

Blessings,

Kaitlyn Joy